Unfortunately, this isn't your house. This is a house you are renting.

Your landlord can have realtors show a house that is for sale (or is coming up for rent since you are moving out). However, they have to give you reasonable notice of this (typically at least 24 hours notice) and have to come in at reasonable times (i.e., not at 3 am in the morning). You have the option of staying during the showing or leaving the rental unit (most tenants want to stay if they have belongings there).

I found some answers. Evidently, in Texas, the landlord can let people in to see the property.

Does this mean I have to let Realtors in to let people wander through my house?

If so, I will fix them. I'll be naked when they get here. I'm 63 and weight about 190.

Yes, you have to let Realtors in also. Go ahead and do what you think is right.
Awhile back I read that a tenant got sued for a realtor commission. Why? Because they had a prospective buyer and they refused to put a contract on the house because the tenant ruin the house by trash, they were afraid what else the tenant could have done, so they weren't going to chance it. Guess what? The tenant lost and had to pay the commission. So go around naked and keep house trash and refuse to let them in. Everyone can use a little extra money. So you just go ahead and "FIX THEM"

Can a tenant refuse to let an agent onto property after receiving 24 hours notice?

During the pendancy of the lease, and for all intents and purposes, the home and the land it sits on "belongs" to your tenant, and you have no "right" to invade your tenant's "quiet enjoyment" of the property. The tenant may allow, or disallow, anyone he or she wants onto the land or in the home. You can tape a "request" to the door and ask the tenant, very nicely, to call you about the situation, but don't be surprised if he / she says "No." This also depends on what the lease says and the terms of any state statutes.

Texas seems to be one of the states that you are forced to let total strangers in your house while you are at work. I have lots of nice things, how do you protect your possessions when there is only one rental agent with several people, wandering your house?

How do you "choose" to stay if you have to go to work?

It seems like a person should have a right to protect their personal property from theft and have the quiet enjoyment of their home while they are paying for the use of the dwelling. I'm glad I don't work nights, what do those people do?

Slice it how you like, it's an invasion of privacy. It's different than allowing your landlord in for inspections, where you can arrange an appointment. This is no different than just leaving your door unlocked and letting anyone in.

Originally Posted by searchertwin
Yes, you have to let Realtors in also. Go ahead and do what you think is right.
Guess what? The tenant lost and had to pay the commission. So go around naked and keep house trash and refuse to let them in. Everyone can use a little extra money. So you just go ahead and "FIX THEM"

Really? How about a link to the case.

I didn't say anything about trashing the house, nor did I say I would deny them access if I legally had to let them in. I'd appreciate it if you wouldn't misquote me.

I didn't say anything about trashing the house, nor did I say I would deny them access if I legally had to let them in. I'd appreciate it if you wouldn't misquote me.

You stated, "so my house is trashed"..from moving...Are you making it more trashier than necessary? The anger you have in your message, I believe you are doing more than necessary.

As far as a link, there is none. Apparantly, you are concern about this, so I am right. But yes, it did happen here locally. Call a Realtor up and inquire, you will be surprised. If a Realtor HAS a buyer and they WOULD have put a contract on a place and IF the buyer feels that the renter has done more than what is visible, than YES, the Realtor has lost his pay from that sale. The company can go after that renter if they can prove if she/he did pruposly tried to hinder the sale of the property. So again, I will repeat, "So you just go ahead and "FIX THEM"

You stated, "so my house is trashed"..from moving...Are you making it more trashier than necessary? The anger you have in your message, I believe you are doing more than necessary.

As far as a link, there is none. Apparantly, you are concern about this, so I am right. But yes, it did happen here locally. Call a Realtor up and inquire, you will be surprised. If a Realtor HAS a buyer and they WOULD have put a contract on a place and IF the buyer feels that the renter has done more than what is visible, than YES, the Realtor has lost his pay from that sale. The company can go after that renter if they can prove if she/he did pruposly tried to hinder the sale of the property. So again, I will repeat, "So you just go ahead and "FIX THEM"

If you'll look at the date, I only found out I was getting a lock box one day ago. So you believe I'm already "doing more than necessary" to cause a problem? Well, damn, I am fast!

You made an incorrect presumption, I haven't had time to do any such thing. Anyway, I'd like to see them "prove" that I created a mess with my moving activities "on purpose". Anyway, you need to shut up, you're stupid and presumptuous. Not to mention that your writing is illiterate.

It's not for sale, either, it's for rent

I am paying $1300 for this house for this month. I am losing my quiet enjoyment of this property for this month, and I have to pay full price to live here.

This afternoon I was in the bathtub, and someone was in the back yard looking in the bathroom windows. I had a presentation to write at home this afternoon, and more than half of the time I had set aside to do it was interrupted by people in my house. A child picked up a glass item on my coffee table, and neither the realtor or the parent said anything.

I'll bet some realtor and LL associations padded some Texas politicians pockets pretty well to pass a law that requires a renter to host a parade of strangers into their house while they are paying rent on the property. .

"No Texas statute addresses landlordís entry, but Texas courts have held that a landlord may not enter the rental property unless entry is authorized by the lessee. Once a residential property is leased, the landlordís ability to enter the rental unit is diminished. Since no Texas laws state when a landlord can enter a rental property, the rules default to the lease agreement. Some lease agreements give a list of reasons when the landlord can enter and other leases do not mention landlordís entry at all.

The TAA lease, which is widely used in Texas, states the landlord can enter for reasons ranging from removing unauthorized pets to showing the unit to prospective buyers to stopping excessive noise.

If the lease agreement ó either written or verbal ó does not include reasons for when the landlord is able to enter the unit, then there are only very specific times when a landlord may enter. These times include:

* To make repairs requested by the tenant;
* If there is an emergency inside the unit; or
* If the landlord is going to post a notice either under the landlordís lien law or when demanding possession in an eviction. (See ATCís brochures, Landlordís Lien and The Eviction Process for more information regarding these laws.)

This means the landlord cannot, among other things, enter to show the unit to a prospective tenant or to inspect the dwelling unless specifically agreed to in the lease. "

This means the landlord cannot, among other things, enter to show the unit to a prospective tenant or to inspect the dwelling unless specifically agreed to in the lease. "

I'm confused about this. I read that the landlord can show the property at will after 30 day notice to vacate has been given by the current tenant. My lease does not list this as a reason to enter the property.

I went to your Austin Tenants council link, and it says they can't enter for this reason.

If your lease is silent on this issue, then the landlord can't show the place unless you agree.

A reasonable person would allow the showings if certain precautions are taken. 24 hour notice of entry. Put your 'good' stuff out of sight. Organize your packed items in one area. Don't leave open boxes all over. Could you ask a friend to be there when the house is shown? Remove your valuables...take them to a friend's or rent a small storage unit. Or request to be present when the viewings take place.

Your landlord, or his agent (the realtor) can show his property, to prospective buyers, with reasonable notice.

You do not have

- The right to demand that showings take place only when you are there.
- The right to object to the lock box
- The right to damage the property in retaliation
- The right to be indecent in an illegal way
- The right to interfere with the landlords right to sell (so scuttling the process is real dumb and would get you sued...)

You DO

- Have no requirement to clean the property or tidy
- Have no requirement to assist the realtor or play host.
- Have the right to object to showings that interfere with your quiet use and enjoyment along a standard of ordinary reasonableness. Showing the house while you are out is perfectly compliant with that standard.

Texas seems to be one of the states that you are forced to let total strangers in your house while you are at work. I have lots of nice things, how do you protect your possessions when there is only one rental agent with several people, wandering your house?

How do you "choose" to stay if you have to go to work?

It seems like a person should have a right to protect their personal property from theft and have the quiet enjoyment of their home while they are paying for the use of the dwelling. I'm glad I don't work nights, what do those people do?

Slice it how you like, it's an invasion of privacy. It's different than allowing your landlord in for inspections, where you can arrange an appointment. This is no different than just leaving your door unlocked and letting anyone in.

Why don't you box up any and all "valuble things" and place them in locked storage? Whenever I've had my home on the market, I simply removed any and all items I was worried about. You said you are packing anyway, why not make those the first you pack?

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